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The Steps and Benefits of Self-Publishing

Cheryl Fountain


You've finished your manuscript and you want to publish your book! There are various avenues to publishing, as well as pros and cons to each.


People who choose self-publishing are usually motivated by the following benefits:

  • You maintain full creative control of your book

  • You schedule when you want your publication released

  • You get to choose who edits, designs, and illustrates your book and cover

  • You maintain full ownership of your book and future editions, including copyright and intellectual rights

  • You earn higher royalty rates per book sold


The steps to self-publishing are the same ones a traditional publisher would take. However, when you self-publish you are not only the author, but also the publisher. You are the person who hires the people to do the steps for you, or you do some of the steps yourself.


Editing

There are various stages of editing, which can include developmental edits, copy-editing, and proofreading. It is recommended that your manuscript gets edited multiple times before it goes to print, either by yourself or by a professional. If you choose to hire someone, the cost of an editor depends on various factors like the editor’s level of experience, the length of the manuscript, and the type of service.


Design

Book design is how the book is laid out. Software used for design can be as simple as Microsoft Word, Pages, or Adobe Indesign (our favourite at Raspberry Press). If you are writing a children’s book you will need illustrations. If you are able to do both writing and illustrations, lucky you! Hiring an illustrator can be quite the investment. However, there are places to find more affordable illustrations such as Fiverr, a company which connects people with freelancers. No matter what illustrator you go with, it is important they know to add proper bleed, to leave space for the text, and be mindful of what art would end up in the gutter.


Cover Design

It’s recommended that you have your cover professionally designed. Your cover is the first impression of your book and serves as the book's advertisement. Although the old saying goes, “Never judge a book by its cover”, in reality people do. A less-experienced designer would cost less, while a more elaborate cover from a bigger name designer would cost a lot more. It’s important to do your research to budget accordingly.


ISBN

Your book will need an ISBN. If you are planning an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover book of the same title, you will need a different ISBN for each type of book. ISBNs are free in Canada!


Printing and Distribution

Once you have the book and cover designed, you are ready to print and distribute your book. Using online distributers such as Amazon or Ingram Spark is an easy way to have your book available for print on demand when ordered or readily available as an ebook. You can calculate your royalty earnings with the distribution companies online calculators which take into account the printing and administration costs.


You can also print your own copies of books by going to local print shops. The more books you print the better the printing price will be. Always go for the printed proof option to ensure your book will look good before approving the full print run.


If you want your books physically placed in bookstores meet with retailers and some will give you a chance to see how the book sells for a set period of time. The retailer usually request a 40-55% discount off the cover price of your book. You can also request to set up a book signing event at their store to help advertise and boost book sales. Sometimes if your book sells well, they will add your book to their franchise or other stores.


You can also sell your books directly to the customer such as by attending book fairs, book signings, or other events. This is where the author gets 100% of the royalty less printing costs and table costs.


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